Kingsport, TN-based Eastman Chemical has announced that it plans to expand its 2-ethylhexanoic (2-EH) acid manufacturing capacity. According to the company, the expansion comes as a result of a growth in the number of end-use markets for the acid and will be accomplished via a debottlenecking project at its Kingsport facility.

Scheduled to come online in late 2001, the additional quantity will increase Eastman’s 2-EH acid capacity from 40 million to 80 million pounds annually. Metallic salts of 2-EH acid are used as driers for inks, varnishes, enamels and paints.